Chapter 124
The Way to Fight Back
“We’re almost there.”
Jerop said this while standing on the terrace, half-dressed, peering through a telescope. When I walked up to him, he handed it to me.
Far beyond the blue sea, near the edge of the horizon, a warship that had been barely visible was now approaching fast enough to be clearly seen from the terrace. Still, it wasn’t close enough to make out who was aboard.
“They’ll arrive sooner than expected.”
Murmuring to himself, Jerop slipped on the shirt he had draped over his shoulders. Fighting in neat, proper attire—that was his way.
“…What about Lady Evana?”
“She’s with Minuel.”
Evana had decided to stay until the very end. When had Minuel arrived? Still, it was a relief knowing the two of them were together.
The final battle was truly at hand now. With it looming so close, my heart began to race.
Only one of Adrian and me would remain once this was over. Jerop had already chosen to leave me alive. I grabbed the hem of his shirt.
“Don’t come outside. Stay here.”
He stopped mid-motion as he dressed and tightly clasped my hand. Since morning, he had repeatedly insisted that my safety came first.
He tugged gently on the end of my tightly tied hair and pressed a kiss to it. Even though hair has no sensation, it still made me feel strangely ticklish.
“Don’t get hurt.”
“I won’t.”
Unlike me, who had started trembling, he grew calmer the closer the moment of battle came. He was used to fighting. Jerop looked more spirited than ever.
Fully dressed, he put on his uniform neatly. With only his arms slipped in, the deep violet outer garment hung open. As he reached to fasten the buttons, his eyes met mine. His hand stilled.
“Button it for me.”
He leaned toward me with a smiling gaze, acting uncharacteristically spoiled. I nodded and began fastening the beautifully crafted gold buttons one by one from the bottom. As I pushed them into the tight holes, I desperately wished for his safe return.
In the original story, he hadn’t worn armor either. He always said he fought best when unencumbered, proudly wrapped in that deep violet uniform.
When I read it in a book, I thought he looked magnificent. Seeing it in person, though, it felt unbearably precarious. No matter how finely crafted, it was still just cloth.
When I closed my eyes, the image of Jerop’s bloodied body from the illustrations came to mind. Bad thoughts kept surfacing.
What became of him after he was exiled? In the original work, it was never made clear whether he lived or died.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
I hurried my hands as I fastened the buttons. Forget it. I didn’t want to see Jerop defeated.
My stomach churned with anxiety. I felt like I might vomit at any moment, as if all the blood was draining from my body. Jerop placed his hand over my trembling one.
“Diane.”
“Yes.”
“You’re shaking.”
He shared his warmth with me directly. Heat returned to my cold fingertips.
“Jerop.”
“Yeah.”
What if… we just let me go?
My lips quivered, but the words never left my mouth.
I had come all this way to see his happiness. I didn’t want to watch him get hurt because of me. Adrian wasn’t someone with mere brute strength. He was a man who held the entire empire in his grasp, who had written this original story and possessed the power to destroy it. He was someone who had even imprisoned the first priest.
“I’m not letting you go.”
He cut me off before I could speak.
“I know.”
In the end, we never found the object the first priest had spoken of. We searched the entire villa and combed through every book, but not even the smallest clue surfaced.
If only they’d just told us the answer.
Resentment welled up anew. How were we supposed to defeat Adrian?
“Promise me you won’t do anything reckless.”
“A promise…”
I couldn’t lie. If something happened to him, I was ready to throw myself away at any time. It wasn’t because I valued myself less—it was because he had already turned the world into his enemy to protect me. He simply mattered more.
“Just lie to me, then.”
I couldn’t give him an affirmative answer until I finished buttoning his uniform all the way up to his throat. He pressed me when I stayed silent.
“I’m sorry.”
I adjusted the collar at the nape of his neck, then stepped back to check his appearance. I brushed off his clothes in case there was any dust.
“If anything happens, follow Evan.”
“That won’t happen.”
It couldn’t.
“You’ll come back victorious.”
It was a declaration of faith for Jerop Dykers—and a resolve for myself. He would not lose.
He pulled out a small pouch and tilted it lightly over his palm. Two small circles dropped out. Inside were the rings Munir had made—the ones I had once refused during the Flower Festival.
Wearing the deep violet uniform of the Dykers family, Jerop went down on one knee.
“Please accept it.”
He was far below my eye level now. His eyes sparkled as he looked up at me.
How could I possibly refuse?
I nodded and held out my left hand. He smiled brightly, not at all like someone about to head into battle.
Jerop carefully slid the ring onto my fourth finger. Holding my hand, he stared at it for a long moment, then lightly kissed the back of my hand before standing up.
“Shall we go?”
He straightened his clothes and strapped the sacred sword, Esther, to his side. His tone was relaxed, as if he were heading out for a casual picnic.
Jerop and I watched the ship closely. Something felt off. The vessel had drawn near, yet no one else was visible. If the Crown Prince had moved, there should have been attendants with him.
Only Pope Adrian stood there, arms spread wide, fully embracing the sea wind. His white priestly robes fluttered.
When Adrian raised his hand toward the sky, black storm clouds gathered. The sea raged, waves surging high. Driven by the waves, the warship rushed toward the castle even faster.
At his gesture, the ground shook. Looking out the window, I saw the once-solid castle wall collapse in an instant. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed such power.
“What in the world is that power?”
Jerop’s words echoed my own thoughts. If he had used that power instead of methods like arson or witch trials, I would have died long ago. He had been hiding it.
Why?
Pope Adrian emerged through the gap in the collapsed wall. Amid the rising dust, he was flying through the air.
“I don’t want to kill a character I created myself. I went to great lengths to make her miserable, after all.”
He swaggered as if he were a god. Adrian’s voice boomed, echoing everywhere—even though he was still far away.
“Diane Heist. If you come out alone, I’ll spare everyone else.”
Adrian beckoned to me. Not a speck of dust marred his white robes. Jerop stepped in front of me, shielding me as he faced him.
As Adrian slowly raised one hand, unconscious people floated up from the warship. Among them, I could see the blond Crown Prince.
He slammed them all back down onto the ground. They hit hard, yet none woke up. One of them even spat blood. Adrian smiled, clearly enjoying himself.
Seeing this, Jerop drew Esther. A blue aura swirled around the blade. At the same time, his silver hair began turning purple from the tips, and both his eyes shifted to a deep red.
He leapt down from beside me. I gasped, but Jerop landed calmly and immediately charged toward the pope.
“How foolish.”
The pope also formed a sword of light and flew toward Jerop. Jerop parried Adrian’s attack. Seemingly surprised by the force, Adrian retreated, then lunged again.
The clash of their swords grew more frequent. Adrian was strong, but Jerop was no easy opponent. Every metallic crash made my heart shrink.
There was nothing I could do. I could only stamp my feet in place, desperately wishing for Jerop’s victory.
Please. Please.
I don’t believe in gods—but if one exists, please let that bastard lose.
“Miss.”
Lucy appeared behind me as I prayed. She smiled gently.
I had heard she’d become a princess. Dressed accordingly, Lucy looked beautiful. I’d always thought the maid’s uniform never suited her.
“Lucy.”
With her golden hair twisted up, she looked as though she were wearing a crown. She approached me with graceful, dignified steps, her dress swaying softly as she walked.
“…Let’s go.”
She held out her hand. On her pale wrist, a gold bracelet shimmered, set with a blue gemstone the same color as her eyes.
In the prison, Lucy had told me we should escape. Was it the same now?
I looked back and forth between Lucy before me and Jerop fighting outside. Both of them were helping me—in their own ways.
“I’m not going. I can’t.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t leave him behind. If it came to that, I was ready to jump down myself. If I disappeared, at least the others wouldn’t be harmed.
“You have to go, Miss.”
Lucy spoke firmly and pulled my wrist. I was startled—it was the first time I’d seen her use force like this. I tried to brace myself, but despite her slender wrist, her strength was overwhelming.
“Lu… Lucy?”
“Go. We have to go now!”
She revealed her emotions as she urgently dragged me along. I began to be pulled away from the window, following her lead. The grip on my wrist hurt badly.
Pain shot through my thigh as well. I trusted Lucy—but there was a question I’d been holding onto.
“…Weren’t you on that ship with them? How did you get in here?”
How did she appear here?
She should have been aboard the ship with the Crown Prince.
